Bradford is a small main street town in Orange County, Vermont. Its first settler arrived in 1765, but went through several name changes before being re-named Bradford in 1788. It was primarily an agricultural town and added on related industries such as milling and production of farm implements as time went on, as well as sawmills and paper mills.
As of 2000 its population was around 2600, with approximately 800 of that number being in school. It's a small town with many parks, forests, and old buildings, and the Waits River running through town only add to its charm. Considering the many projects to restore old buildings, as well as the fact that it is well-known as a heritage town, it's obvious that citizens have a great deal of respect for their past.
While it has suffered along with the rest of the country during the economic downturn, as evidenced by the closure of the P&C Supermarket, Bradford is doing its best to cope. There are plans for Hannaford, which opened as a replacement, to expand further and bring more jobs to the community. The town has already voted to expand their sewer system into downtown Bradford, otherwise known as the lower plain, though money is proving to be an issue.
The schools are faced with many issues faced by many of those in the North Country, including personnel and federal deficits. The search for a new principal has finally ended, but officials have met several times to discuss sharing funds and services with other school districts to cut down expenses.While the idea of obtaining the E-Vermont grant to purchase badly-needed computers and other technology for the library and school, neither establishment has received any funds.
Overall, the most pressing concern of the town seems to be the sale of the Bradford Municipal forest. The Trust for Public Land as well as West Fairlee are also involved. While the sale is controversial for many reason, that issue will be covered in another post.
The official town website, as well as information on its clerk and other officials, can be found here.
A list of historical buildings, as well as some descriptions and pictures, can be found here.
